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View Poll Results: Should we have a Geocaching Maine Organization? (rules in first post for responding)

Should we form a Geocaching Maine Organization?

I have discussed this with several geocachers in PMs and emails the topic is our web site and starting an organization. I was just asking a few opinions on this. I know sooner or later a rumor may start saying I was trying to organize an organization. So I am stepping forward now before the rumor starts or someone puts a twist to it. I was not trying to start an organization. I asked a few geocachers the following questions:

I am writing to you to get your opinion on whether or not you think we should become an organization? Do we truely want monthly meetings and dues? I feel that we really do not need to be anything more than we are Geocachers!! I would like to hear your opinion on this.

So instead of asking the few people I was sending messages to I thought it would be better to include everyone in the question, like it should have been done in the first place. I apologize for not doing this.

Here is the vote, Keep in mind you can only vote once and read the rules for responding to this thread before you respond.

RULES FOR RESPONDING

Please respond with appropriate and legitimate answers and stay on topic.

This has nothing to do with MGA so do not refer to them at all or reference them because this pertains to us. If you reference them your response will be deleted.

Now that I have started this vote and response area I would like to give my ideas on this.

I see no reason why we need to create an organization. If you think about it right now we are already pretty much an organization with the web site holding us together. We stay in contact with each other and that is what an organization does. We usually have caching events pretty much at a rate of once a month through out the year and sometimes more. These events are organized geocaching events and in my opinion what I consider our organization.

Even though we are already registered with the IRS as a nonprofit organization I see no need to actually form a group of board members. If we did what purpose would they serve? Everything we need to accomplish can be done in the web site forums and be put to a vote there. I see no reason to charge for membership fees. What would the money go towards? There is a donation area on the web siteís front page that you can use to donate to the web site. When you do this it goes toward the server cost and the software renewal fees. Any extra money stays on hand in the geocachingmaine paypal account and if we ever accumulate any money that become a substantial amount then we will post it in the forums and vote on what we want to do with it.

Well that is all that I can think of at this time. If I have any more to say I will post it as I think of it.

Rick, I'll vote "NO". I've been involved with other activities that brought together a loose knit group on an ad hoc basis. With time, the idea for an organized club seemed to be a good idea. We ended up with a full corporation, and a budget in the multi-thousands of dollars. It became a business, and really ended up not being anywhere near as fun as the "let's all get together this weekend" type events we had previously had. Over time, we got in trouble with the IRS, club funds were mis-managed, and the club finally disbanded with many hard feelings. I therefore vote to keep the status quo--we're having fun the way things are and I see no reason to change. Just MHO, of course.

I'm not really decided right now... seriously, it's geocaching... have we ever needed such things to govern us in the past? are the gc.com guidelines not enough? Do we really need to spend money on a membership card that says we belong? We all have our own ideas about geocaching, we all play in different ways, that's the beautiful thing about geocaching, it's like driving, you go to driving school and learn the basics, then you're on your own. everyone has their own ways to drive, sometimes we like the way people drive, sometimes we dont, but we govern (most of us do) ourselves when we drive... it works out pretty good that way, everyone has an understanding of the way things work and it just falls into place (like the traffic circles). If the site was turned into an organization I probably wouldn't join (I pay too many dues for other things already, I donate to the site because I enjoy it, and I want to see it continue) I cache for enjoyment, to get away from everything, geocaching is my escape, I don't want it cluttered up with meetings and dues and other stuff like that. So that's my two cents.

No!!!

My vote is a very emphatic NO! I don't SAY alot in this forum, but I read it almost every day....and enjoy everyone's personalities...good, bad and indifferent. I am a donating member, but I don't want to HAVE to pay. I pay because it's a fun group of people and I want to help pay Rick's expenses. I don't want to pay just to have someone write up a bunch of rules.

My vote is a very emphatic NO! I don't SAY alot in this forum, but I read it almost every day....and enjoy everyone's personalities...good, bad and indifferent. I am a donating member, but I don't want to HAVE to pay. I pay because it's a fun group of people and I want to help pay Rick's expenses. I don't want to pay just to have someone write up a bunch of rules.

ditto, if I want someone to yell at me and tell me i'm caching the wrong way... i'll just bring the wife with me.

My vote is a very emphatic NO! I don't SAY alot in this forum, but I read it almost every day....and enjoy everyone's personalities...good, bad and indifferent. I am a donating member, but I don't want to HAVE to pay. I pay because it's a fun group of people and I want to help pay Rick's expenses. I don't want to pay just to have someone write up a bunch of rules.